U-Turn (Turn Your Life Around) Program

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The
U-Turn program is a partnership between
Oakland County Youth Assistance and the
Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

The program's intent is to
educate youth and their parents about the consequences of crime and the realities of prison life while reinforcing the value of making smart decisions (staying in school, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, making wise choices about peers, employment, parental involvement, etc.) in order to keep youth from having any further contact with the juvenile justice system.

Modeled after the "Scared Straight" program, the U-Turn program gives youth and their parents an opportunity to view the
Oakland County jail and facilities, and to have the children experience face-to-face encounters with deputies and selected inmates who talk to the youth about the repercussions of their behavior.

The program is
run by Sheriff's Deputies and caseworkers from Youth Assistance to assist Deputies with debriefing sessions following the program.

Youths participating in the U-Turn program must be
active in a local Youth Assistance program and meet the following criteria: